Administration Herøya Industripark AS

Representatives of Connect LNG and its partner Gas Natural Fenosa watched the demonstration anxiously and celebrated the excellent results. On the right, general manager Morten Christophersen and CFO Miriam E. Wennberg of Connect LNG.

The very first turnkey plug-and-play Connect LNG solution works and is now tried and tested technology, ready for the market. “The tests and demonstrations surpassed all our expectations and provide us with a real breakthrough,” says Morten Christophersen, entrepreneur and general manager of technology company Connect LNG, with enormous enthusiasm.

A demonstration of a new floating quay solution, Universal Transfer System (UTS), for the transfer of eco-friendly energy took place at Herøya Industrial Park last week. Entrepreneurs, partners, local suppliers and customers all watched anxiously.

A demonstration of a new floating quay solution, Universal Transfer System (UTS), for the transfer of eco-friendly energy took place at Herøya Industrial Park last week.

Connect LNG’s mobile quay solution demonstrated for the first time the transfer of a commercial consignment of liquid natural gas (LNG) from the LNG tanker to SkanGas, moored out in Frierfjorden, to Skagerak Naturgass storage tanks on land at Herøya Industrial Park. This product means that even places without quay facilities can access clean energy such as liquid natural gas, while also helping to reduce investment costs and environmental impact.

Excellent results first time around

The entrepreneurs, suppliers, customer and landlord at the Industrial Park have been working intensely and closely together over the past six months. 50-60 people have been involved full-time in the project at times.

“A lot of us have been expecting great things,” says Morten Christophersen. “What we’re doing at the moment is completely new. Getting excellent results the first time around is absolutely fantastic.”

The demonstration on Friday took place without gas for reasons of safety, but the actual transfer of LNG took place the following day.

Vard has completed the first finished UTS unit at the shipyard in Brevik. Pilot Arena Herøya, headed by Rolf Olaf Larsen, and the project have implemented the first successful demonstration of completely new mobile loading and unloading technology. For the first time, Skagerak Naturgass was able to transport 400m3 of liquid natural gas from the LNG tanker to SkanGas, Coral Energy, transferred via Connect LNG’s mobile platform through floating hoses at sea – something that has never been done before.

“This is the first time we have received LNG from an offshore area,” says Svein Morten Hanssen of Skagerak Naturgass.

The demonstration on Friday took place without gas for reasons of safety, but the actual transfer of LNG took place the following day.

Gained impetus

The Connect LNG project gained impetus in earnest around Christmas when Spanish oil and gas company Gas Natural Fenosa provided funding and resources and pushed for rapid progress.

This company is one of the world’s biggest gas companies, offering gas in Europe and to islands and remote areas in South America, and they realise that Connect LNG will make it possible to sell gas in areas where offering LNG was not possible before.

Herøya won

Connect LNG was quickly in need of good partners and test facilities. Herøya Pilotarena was awarded the tender, in the face of competition with other places abroad.

“A lot of us have been expecting great things,” says Morten Christophersen. “What we’re doing at the moment is completely new. Getting excellent results the first time around is absolutely fantastic.”

“The Herøya environment, with Skagerak Naturgass, Yara, Bilfinger and Vard in Brevik, was a natural choice. It was easy to keep an eye on things, and there is a lot of expertise here when it comes to building and testing technology. We have maintained close contact with the port authorities, pilots and tug crews, all of whom have provided useful insights. Innovation Norway has also been involved in providing the project with crucial support and advice.

“Basic design was completed in six weeks, we were cutting steel by mid-May, and four months later the product is complete – and very much on budget and on time,” points out Christophersen.

Outstanding job

Connect LNG is advertising a delivery time of six months for a plug-and-play UTS unit on its website.

“Now we have shown people that we can deliver on our promises. Some very clever people have done an outstanding job. We encounter 10 challenges a day, but the whole thing has been fun from start to finish. People have taken on board each and every challenge – they have almost been battling to be the first to come up with the fastest solutions to challenges.”

Faster to market

“For us, this means we can be faster to market with our new technology solution, which can make loading and unloading operations easier and more eco-friendly. This has been a dream journey. Today, we are extremely proud of what we have achieved together,” says a very happy Christophersen.